Acorn
by heat.lover.onepiece
Summary: Eustass Kidd is feeling lonely, friendless, and broke. So, his old highschool friends .try. to cheer him up a bit.


**~ ACORN ~**

Eustass Kidd, an unnaturally red-headed, tall, punk-looking 20-year-old, sat alone on an old worn-down park bench, head in hand, looking up at the surrounding trees as they dropped their golden leaves down upon the cracked old sidewalk. He had sat in the spot so many times before that it almost seemed like a safe haven, or, second home. That old, comfy bench was to Kidd's liking no matter what mood he was in, but prooved to be especially nice when slightly depressed. The red-haired man sighed as he sat up and put an arm over the back of the smooth wooden planks of the bench. He stared up at the sky, wondering if it would be another lonely day.

Eustass closed his eyes, feeling slightly alone already. A gentle fall breeze passed over the park, making Eustass shiver and the leaves rustle. Apparently the man's old maroon hand-me-down hoodie wasn't doing its job too well nowadays. Soon after, another gust of wind shook the trees and pushed an acorn off of its small branch and into Eustass' lap. Kidd paused his Panic! At The Disco CD and took a moment to admire the gift that nature had given him. It was honestly one the simplest, yet best presents he has ever gotten. With a warm and thankful pat to 'his' bench, Eustass Kidd put his headphones around his neck and stood up to walk back to his apartment.

* * *

Kidd wasn't exactly in the mood to go to his crappy job and put up with his annoying co-workers, so he decided to take the day off. So, it was odd for Eustass to be walking around his bedroom before the usual 6 o'clock. Kidd yawned and scratched the back of his head. His alarm clock said 2:39. Who knew time could go by so slowly? The 20-year-old sighed once more and looked around his room. Almost everything he owned was either a hand-me-down, from Goodwill, or handmade by himself. If anyone were to look at the bedroom that is being described, they would either say that it looked like a jig-saw puzzle or a unique work of art. Either of these opinions would work for Eustass, since he thought that both were very much true. Maybe it was a very artistic jig-saw puzzle? Who knows.

Taking a look inside the few drawers of soft, old clothes that he had made and bought years ago, Kidd shut his eyes and sighed. Maybe it was time for a new pair of pants, or a nice shirt, or something new. Eustass took his grey (once black) wallet and peered inside. Not much.. So Kidd ripped open the seam in his mattress and took out his navy blue emergency wallet, which actually looked less than 4 years old! Our red-haired friend put these two wallets in the back pocket of his black-grey skinny jeans and walked out of his apartment to go clothes shopping for the first time in something like 2 years.

And so, Eustass Kidd pushed the apartment building's front doors open, and walked out onto the narrow sidewalks of his small hometown, watching two pigeons fly over his head. Eustass smiled, but was a bit jealous that even pigeons had more friends then him at that moment. Maybe it was how he walked, or talked, or even looked that made people stay away from him. Kidd didn't really know, but he taught himself not to care much for other people. He became content with his own company; and nature's company, whenever possible. Eustass still thought about his old highschool friends from time-to-time, though, and how much fun they had back then. When did things change?

Kidd sighed and rubbed the back of his head, looking back up at the blue sky and puffy clouds. He was so focused on the sky that Eustass almost didn't notice that he had passed the shop he wanted to go to. So Mr. Kidd took a few hops backwards, turned, and took a step into the shop.

* * *

"Killer-ya, how did you get the key to Eustass-ya's apartment? 'Cause that's kinda creepy.."

"I have my ways~"

"I really don't have time for this.. "

"Aw c'mon Basil! This is gonna be a ton of fun~!"

"Geez, it's too dark.. and ow! Killer, move over!"

"Haha, my bad Heat, and Wire.. you're too tall.."

"..."

"If this is going to be a 'surprise' birthday party, shouldn't we be quiet?"

"You're no fun, Hawkins-ya~"

"Oi guys, I think Zoro's gonna explode.."

"EVERYBODY JUST SHUDDAP."

* * *

Eustass whistled as he walked back down the sidewalk carrying his shopping bag which held a new pair of shiny silver skinny jeans and an Avenged Sevenfold t-shirt. He was in a better mood now that he actually had new clothes to wear around, and so after he pushed the apartment building's doors open, he quickly jumped steps 3 by 3 up the 4 staircases to his level. He hummed as he shoved a hand into his back pocket for his key, but after several confused moments of silence, there was no key. Kidd stood there wearing a blank expression and facepalmed. This would happen.

Meawhile, inside his apartment, the surprise-rs were trying their best not to laugh as they listened to Eustass' fruitless search for his key. Killer sat cross-legged, leaning his back against the wall with a gigantic grin on his face as he held Kidd's key in his hand.

_~short flashback ~_

_Killer had been stealthily following Kidd down the stairs, and as Eustass took the last step off the staircase, the long haired fellow, very ninja-like, snuck up and pulled the key out of that back pocket. The poor pick-pocketed one did not even notice a single thing and continued on his way._

_~short flashback ending XD~_

Law crawled over to Killer and elbowed him in the gut. "How's he supposed to get in here now, idiot!" Law hissed, pulling Killer by the blonde's collar. Killer giggled and put a hand on Law's shoulder.

"I know Kidd. It may be a few years since we've really talked, but he never changes. He has a spare key in his wallet, which he carries everywhere."

"..."

And at that moment, Eustass remembered that spare key. So the red-haired one took the key out of his wallet, and put in into the keyhole of his door. He turned it till he heard the click, and pushed the handle down. As he stepped into his appartment, he reached out to turn the lights on, and as he did, he had a heart attack.

* * *

As the key clicked, the door was pushed open, and the lights turned on, Killer, Law, Heat, Wire, Basil, Luffy and Zoro got into place and then once the lights came on, the 7 of them jumped up and shouted "HAPPY BIRTHDAY!" Luffy might have gone a bit overboard and jumped right into Eustass' unsuspecting arms, completely knocking the red-head backwards and onto the ground where he lay in the doorway motionless and wind-less.

"Luffffyyyy.."

"Shishishishi! Sorry, Kidd!"

"Ughhh..."

Law and everyone else crowded around to throw Luffy off of Kidd's chest and help the poor attacked man to his feet once more. Killer then stood beside Eustass put a hand on his shoulder.

"I'm sorry we haven't been around for you lately, but, we wanted to make it up to you by getting together and wishing you a happy birthday, 'Captain'."

Eustass Kidd put on a fake smile and said thanks to all who came to wish him a happy and non-lonely birthday. The 8 of them went out to eat and screwed around at the park, where after a while Kidd sat down on 'his bench', and looked down at the acorn that had fallen on him earlier. He leaned over and picked it up off the ground where it had rolled off of his lap, and the corners of his mouth pulled up into a genuine smile. Kidd sighed and put the plain acorn into his pocket for safe keeping and looked up at his old friends. Eustass 'Captain' Kidd's birthday wasn't until the next season, the next year, on January 10th.


End file.
